The Tale of Young Jack Sparrow
by TA Maxwell
Summary: When Jack Sparrow was 14, something happened in his life that tore it apart, yet made it more solid than it had ever been before...


I love working with characters with no back-stories….*ahem* This ficlet is for my friend and fellow authoress BlueFire who was very generous…heck, she's always generous when it comes to downloadable songs…I've hit a Pirates of the Caribbean kick, and she's been nice enough to send me the entire freaking soundtrack!! O.o Thus, in return, I dedicate this fic to her ^^ 

            ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            The Tale Of Young Jack Sparrow

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            "Jack! Aye, Jack! Ye out 'ere?!" the familiar slurred voice of Old Widower Sparrow called outside. From the sound of him, he was once again a bit tipsy, and had also once again lost his son. It was fourteen years ago to the day that his wife had gone prematurely into labor. The doctor had come as quickly as possible, but it was not soon enough to save the poor woman. The baby was presumed not to live long after it's birth, yet the boy, a small child dubbed "Jack" by his father, had pulled through, and now was known as the most precocious, mischievous lad on the island. 

            The island itself was a fishing land, smooth, calm seas and sands surrounding it, and rarely a strong tide to pull any wayward child away from the safe arms of his parents into those of Davy Jones. Many times, ships pulled into one of the numerous harbors either lost or in need of trade, and the islanders could provide it all. Widower Sparrow supplied the travelers with any sort of alcoholic beverage they could desire. Unfortunately, Widower Sparrow had a habit of drinking up his profits, and some suspected his son was harboring a taste for rum as well.

            Widower Sparrow glanced around out back for his wayward son and called again.

            "Jack, I know yer out here! Tis getting late! Come inside!" 

            Drunk or not, no one doubted the fact Widower Sparrow cared for his son like no other on the whole of the island, rarely losing his temper with him, not matter what trouble the boy got himself, and oftentimes others, into. 

            "I'm over here, father!" a youthful voice called from towards the waters edge. Widower Sparrow came out of the house and shop, leaving the door open behind him, and began to make his way towards the voice. Sitting on one of the few rocks found on the shore was Jack, breeze throwing his black hair into disarray. Widower Sparrow smiled. His mother, although Jack was unaware of the fact, had sat in that exact spot and watched the sun set every night while she carried him. He looked very much like her now, hair tied back into a loose ponytail, arms pulling his legs against his chest.

            "You enjoy bein' out here, dontcha, Jack?" Widower Sparrow joined him on the rock and faced the sea as well. 

            "It's peaceful." For a moment, that was all the boy said. Then he added, "I like it here."

            "Aye, ye've not been away from it since ye could crawl on hands and knees."

            "My first word was 'sea', wasn't it, father?" Jack smiled at the thought. Widower Sparrow nodded to confirm the boy's question.

            "Yer mother always liked sitting out here before she passed on. She left her impression on you, though, and she left it deep, methinks."

            Jack turned finally to look at his father, and Widower Sparrow met his eyes, but only for a moment before Jack turned away again. When he next spoke, his voice was dreamy.

            "Sometimes I can hear it…at night, in my dreams, I can hear the ocean calling for me. It tempts me. Someday I'll follow it. I won't try yet though."

            "Why haven't ye? Seems like the exact thing ye'd try and do, stow away on a passin' pirate ship and learn yerself to be a sailor." Widower Sparrow's voice quieted a bit. It was a fact; Jack was growing up quickly. He'd follow the call of the crashing waves eventually, and it would be too soon, much to soon to let go of his only son. Jack once again looked his father in the eye. This time, he grinned.

            "I stay for you, father."

            Widower Sparrow paused at this statement. Jack mistook this for confusion.

            "Once I leave, you'll be left alone here. I don't want you ta be alone, father. I'm goin' ta stay as long as I can with you."

            A smile curled onto Widower Sparrow's face, and he pulled his son into his arms. Jack returned the hug, and both stayed as they were for a short time. Moments alone like this were uncommon, and they relished them. Widower Sparrow felt a tear climbing into his eye. 

            "Just like yer mother…" he whispered. Jack smiled within his father's arms and pulled back.

            "Let's go inside, father. It's late."

"Right. And son?" 

"Yeah?"

"When you do go off and make a sailing man of yerself," Widower Sparrow stood up and brushed sand off his pants, "promise me ya won't be one 'a them red-coated eunuchs at the mainland, will ya?"

Jack laughed.

"I'd never wish that job on my worst enemy."

Widower Sparrow patted his son on the back as they headed back inside. 

" 'At's my boy."

~~~~~

That night

~~~~~

The smell of smoke tinged Jack's nose as he awoke from a quiet reverie to a loud noise. A crash, and then an explosion. Jack wondered for a moment why the sound was so familiar, but it came to him by a hole being made through his bedroom wall. A cannonball embed itself in the ground inches away from his feet. Jack jumped back as his door slammed open and against his wall. Widower Sparrow stood there, ashen faced and framed with flames licking the wall behind him. 

"Jack! Thank God, you're still alright!"

"What's going on?!" the color was quickly draining from Jack's face as his father scooped him up and began to carry him quickly past the flames. 

"Pirates!" Widower Sparrow exclaimed in a burst of breath, breaking into a full run, his son over his shoulder. "They just came out of nowhere and started attacking! They're already on shore and attacking the city!" He screeched to a halt. The front entryway was blocked, fire eating at the wooden doorframe. Muttering curses under his breath, he looked quickly around for another way out. Glass shattered as a bomb flew in through a window and exploded the next moment, sending more flames towards the man and boy. The window was blown out completely with the explosion. Not wasting a moment upon noticing this, Widower Sparrow removed Jack from his shoulder as he dodged the fire to reach the window. 

"Father?" Jack whimpered.

"Get away, Jack," Widower Sparrow hissed as he hoisted the boy up to the window. "Get out and run as fast as you can, as far away as you can! Run!" With a shove, Jack tumbled through the window and to the ground. He shouted for his father as another bomb was tossed into the doorway. Before he could move from the ground, it too exploded, and with the explosion, the entire house caught flame in an instant. Jack, with no choices, in a mix of shock and fear, obeyed his father and began to run. He ran as fast as his legs could take him, away from the burning city, away from the fires and blood, and when he could run no more, he looked up. He was at the sea. The waves crashed softly and silently against the shore as his small body crumbled onto the sands. 

~~~~~

It was morning before the small form lying on the beach began to move again. He pushed himself up from the sand, his arms like jelly under his weight. Adjusting into a sitting position, he blearily opened his eyes to the bright sun glimmering off the water of the vast ocean before him. He smiled softly as he took in the sight, but his smile lasted only a moment as he recalled why he was on this particular part of the beach, the farthest area from the city where he lived. He attempted to jump to his feet, but his legs were still weakened from his long run. He collapsed onto the ground, bare knees hitting the sand hard. However, strong curiosity drove him. He needed to know the outcome of the attack. It was not a desire, it was a necessity, and not even weakness of the limbs would stop him, even if he had to crawl back. With this thought to drive him, Jack pushed himself up once again, and this time remained standing. Finally having solid footing, he began to walk. It took nearly an hour, but finally he reached the city…

Devastated. It was the only way to describe the carnage and destruction. Total, complete, utter devastation. The pirates had left bodies littering the streets, and only the blacksmith's shop remained someone recognizable, the stone structures still standing where they had once stood inside four sturdy walls. Knowing what was coming, he forced his legs to move once more, this time in the direction of his house, of his father. He trudged past the dead bodies, ash and broken wood covering the ground. 

At his home, the smell of burning lingered still, although wood was not the only burnt stench. Jack felt sick as he recognized the other smell, a stench he knew only from when he had dared his friend to hold a burning coal for as long as he could without dropping it. It was the smell of burnt flesh. From under a pile of wood remnants, Jack could see what was obviously a blackened, burnt arm. The sight was enough to make his lightheaded, near fainting. It was enough. He had seen enough. The boy staggered and stumbled away from it and towards the salty sea air he had woken up to, away to his rock.

He seated himself there, his whole body trembling as visions flashed through his mind of those who were now dead, followed by the guilt of survival, and then, a strength flowed through his veins. A new thought entered his mind. He was free. Free. His father had let him go, and now he was alive, free…and he wanted revenge. Death would come to the pirates who did this, death by his hand. Jack Sparrow. But he had promised…he could not be the good, those soldiers in red, against the bad, the pirates. Then, could he? Yes, it was possible. A cruel grin curled at his lips. It was very possible, and probable as well. Yes, he would do it. Thoughts and ideas formed in his mind faster than he could process them all, yet they all pointed to one thing. 

Jack stood from his rock and looked out to sea. He closed his eyes and breathed in deeply, taking in the smell of the sea air. 

"I swear…" he whispered, opening his eyes again. "I swear by the names of all who lived on this island, I will become a pirate! The best pirate this world has ever seen! And all will fear me! And I will have revenge…for my father, my friends…everyone, I will have revenge, and the world shall tremble at my name! Jack Sparrow!"           

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There will be NO part 2. This is a one shot. I repeat. NO part two. This is THE END!


End file.
